The Hunt
by Some101
Summary: This story is set 5 years after Halo 3. As the crew of the USFC In Memoriam are cruising through space, they pick up a signal from a hero long lost coming from a mysterious moon... On indefinite hiatus.
1. We've found him!

SO my first true FanFic! And I am going to kick it off with a *drum roll* CROSSOVER! The reason I am posting it in the Halo section is becouse I want to keep the X-over a secret untill about the 5/6th chapter, however someone who has a small to mediocre understanding of the lore of the other universe will almost immediatly (Either the first or the second chapter) know what the other universe is. Now without further ado CHAPTER ONE!

CHAPTER ONE: We've found him!

4th April 2557

"Well thanks Mike! Sheesh. What a prick." Tim Romero sat down behind his console on the bridge of the USFC (United Species Fleet Command) _In Memoriam_, the second ship of the new _Keyes_-class dreadnoughts, the first class to fully incorporate the technological advances obtained by allying with the Sangheili. The ship was currently on its way to rendevous with a fleet of mixed Sangheili/Human ships. Tim's job as a comms officer means his is usually seen as 'non-essential personnel' by the rest of the bridge crew but without him, they wouldnt be able to call home. "Lets see if he didnt ruin my console." Tim said as he pressed the on button. After a second the holo panel flared to life:

**Booting....**

**Booted.**

**Scanning for signals....**

**Recieving distress signal....**

**Scanning for signal profile....**

**Signal profile detected....**

**Retreving archived signal profiles....**

**Match found and confirmed.**

**Signal matches recorded UNSC Frigate**_** Forward unto Dawn**_** signal profile.**

**Alerting ship CO as stated in Article 3, Paragraph 9 of the Hood Protocol.**

"Captain Anderson, report to the Bridge immediatly. Repeat, Captain Anderson to the Bridge immediatly." Avina, the ship's AI broadcasted across the ship's PA. A minute later the captain came unto the bridge in training fatigues. "Whats going on Avina?" Anderson asked the AI. Tim responded before Avina could. "Sir, I.. Think.. I've found the Master Chief Sir." All of the Bridge crew, including the Sangheilian weapons officer, spun around when they heard the news. "What?! Let me see." Captain Anderson bent over the Comm officer's shoulder reading the message's last two lines floating in midair. "By all that is holy. Avina, get me a direct link to Lord Hood! Priority one!" It didnt take long for Lord Hood's face to appear on the screen in front of the bridge sparking salutes from all the personnel there. "Captain Anderson? What could possibly be important enough to get a P1 comm link to me?" "My comms officer has picked up the distress signal from the _Forward unto Dawn_ Sir." "The _Dawn?_ This is not a funny joke Captain." "I am not joking Sir. We are transmitting logs now." "Recieving... My god. Captain, I am ordering you and the _In Memoriam_ to divert to the location of the distress signal immediatly. Am I clear?" "Crystal Sir." "Good. Hood Out."

"Avina, set a course using the Signal's coordinates and engage Slipspace drive." The captain ordered while heading out of the bridge "I am going to get my uniform." "Understood Captain. Course laid in and Slipspace drive engaging." The space in front of the _In Memoriam_ ripped apart, the ship sliding into the alternate dimention known as Slipspace, where Faster Than Light travel is possible. "ETA 3 Days, 15 Hours, 23 Minutes. Recommend Cryo-Sleep for non-essential personnel." Avina's voice rang out form the PA system again. "Looks like you have to go to bed Romero!" Mike Sullivan, the engineer, teased. "It looks like you are going to run the night shifts during the Slipspace travel Petty Officer Sullivan." The captain casually spoke while walking back unto the bridge, this time in uniform. "Yessir." "Dismissed." The captain sat down in his chair. "Avina update Petty Officer Sullivan's shift roster accordingly." "Yes Captain." "Everyone back to your stations."

3 Days, 15 Hours, 22 Minutes and 50 Seconds later...

"Exiting Slipspace in 10 seconds Captain." "Alright. Bring us out." The ship snapped back to Realspace, the stars becoming visible again. "Full scan." "Scanning... We have arrived in a type five solar system. 6 planets in scan field, gravity fields suggest one more planet behind the sun. Planets currently scanned show two terrestrial planets in the innar solar system one in the outer system and 3 gas giants, one in the life zone, two in the outer solar system." "Alright. Where is the signal coming from Romero?" "It's coming from that gas giant in the life zone. But it's in a stable orbit so it must be coming from a moon." "Set a course Avina." "On our way Captain." The ship's engines flare sending it towards the inner solar system. "I want a detailed scan of the gas giant. Composition, Size, Colour, Moon Count, everything."

"Getting moon count now Captain. Only 15 moons, one is about 9/10ths the size of Earth. Atmosphere is comprised of nitrogen, oxygen, CO2 and a large amount of hydrogensulfide and xenon. Same thing for the gas giant, minus the all the oxygen and half of the CO2. And boy is she pretty, putting up a visual."

A beautiful sphere of greens and blues crossed with white appeared on the main screen, against a background of its deep blue mother planet and the black of space. A massive storm on the gas giant appeared to look straight at the moon, strangely being the only visible storm. "Like a kind of cyclops" One of the bridge crew mused. "Perhaps we should call it Polyphemus."

"And the signal is coming from that moon. But the hydrogensulfide/CO2/xenon combination makes the atmosphere unbreatheable. That there is oxygen however compensates, so the air only needs filtering." The captain nodded. "Avina, get a squad of ODSTs ready for drop." "Sir, there are extreme magnetic fields all over the moon interfering with signals. We would have a very hard time tracking the team as well as being compleatly unable to track the distress signal from the _Dawn_." "Hmm. That makes it very difficult to mount a large scale operation. Avina are you thinking what I am thinking?" "If it involves the words 'firebase' 'pods' and 'prep' then yes Captain" "Good. Drop in the squad of ODSTs and prep pods to get a firebase up and running the moment they find a big enough clearing." "Yessir alerting ODST Alpha squad now. They are on their way to the drop pods." "Drop them in on the largest continent." "Yessir" "This is Lieutenant Edward Buck. We are ready for drop." "Confirmed Lieutenant. Dropping pods in three... two... one..."

Six very soft *clunck* sounds reached the bridge crew.

"This is ODST Squad Alpha, we are inbound to surface. ETA twenty seconds." "We will not be able to keep comms open so you are pretty much on your own untill you can signal for the firebase." "Roger that Captain." "Alright then. Godspeed."

Author note: Please, DO NOT SPOIL THE OTHER UNIVERSE FOR OTHER PEOPLE IF YOU HAVE ALREADY FIGURED IT OUT!

I am also looking for a beta reader.


	2. Landfall

Disclaimer: I own nothing exept the storyline idea and the OC's!

Please people REVIEW! Oh, I already have recieved a few guesses towards the x-over and THEY ARE ALL WRONG. It isn't Mass Effect! The only person to know of the X-Over is Spog the Brick in The Wall, the writer of the awesome Ti Amo, check it out if you havent already. I also want to thank reviewers Optimum Energon, breaking ground and Eipok. Please keep reviewing and other people start reviewing!

CHAPTER TWO: Landfall.

Six fireballs are underway to the surface of the moon, cutting through the atmosphere like a plasma knife through poly-butter. Inside the fire balls are six men, well five men and an Sangheili. The first of the pods contains the leader of ODST Alpha squad, Lieutenant Edward 'Eddie' Buck. The second holds Sargeant Taylor 'Dutch' Miles, the squad's Heavy Weapons guy. The third is piloted by Lance Corporal Michael 'Mickey' Crespo, the demoman. 4th in line is Corporal Kojo 'Romeo' Agu, Marksman extraordinaire. The 5th has a bigger shape inside, Major Domo Naro 'Vadam, a far cousin to the famed Thel 'Vadam, more commonly known as The Arbiter. Last but not least is the squad's mistery jack of all trades, a man simply known as 'The Rookie', a Corporal.

"Ready to pop drag chutes on my mark... MARK!" Buck ordered his squad. The 'bump' rattled his bones as it always has done. Three seconds later the pods impacted, rumbling the jungle. One second later 6 soft bangs rang around. "Call off!" "Alpha two here!" Dutch called. "Three 'Ere!" Mickey reported. "Alpha four roger." Romeo spoke. "Alpha five." Naro rumbled over the com. "..." Nothing. "Alpha six? Respond Rookie, thats an order." "Ugh sorry sir. My pod hit something, knocked me out cold." "Again? Last time it was New Mombasa and now here. How's your suit?" "Sealed. I'm on my way to the RP." "Allright. Lets move troopers, we DO NOT have all day. Hell, we have a few hours." The entire squad copied.

Thirty minutes later...

"So, we are here," Dutch pointed out on the PDA, "And the closest level ground opening is here." He pointed out another place. "Two clicks away. And this is a mountain range." He pointed at the line seperating the squad from the objective. "Well, look at it this way: at least we'll have one hell of a view." Mickey smart-assedly pointed out. That was true. Underneath the squad the jungle streched out for miles and miles. "Then there is no sense in standing around. Let's go." Romeo set off. A rustleing could be heard in the bushes behind the squad. Within a split second six barrels of varying caliber, namely two 7.92mm's, one 9,5mm, a 14.5mm, one 5mm and a crackling electricity filled one, pointed at the bush. Out came a resonably sized animal, resembling a large pig. "All clear. Lets go." Naro spoke before moving off at a standard marching speed, securing his plasma rifle to his hip and grabbing his carbine from his back. "You heard the man. Let's move." The assortment started making their way across the mountains. After a few minutes Mickey pointed something out. "Is it me or is that rock floating?" "Where?" Dutch asked. "There." "What in the name of..." A small rock, about as big as a football was floating in mid-air. "How is that possible?" Dutch mumbled while approaching it. "Wait. My HUD just glitched. Lemme see what happens when I step a bit closer... Whoa, my HUD starts spasming. So: Word of advice, stay away from freaky floating rocks." "Copy that." The Rookie said while continuing up the trail.

One and a Half hours later...

"All right set up the radio beacons. Let's call in a bed." Buck ordered while planting his beacon into the moss covered soil, Dutch and Romeo following suit. "_Memoriam, _Alpha squad. Do you copy?" A static filled response came, barely intelligable. "Very weakly Lieutenant. We are sending pods down now. Hold position." The skipper's voice spoke, accompanying two sonic booms from high above. "Here they come." The ships delivering the firebase parts touched down, placeing the two halves perfectly The fifty or so people inside the halves wasted no time welding them together, creating a air tight home away from home. A group of the new Cyclops models (AMP's they were called, Buck remembered) exited the bulding starting construction on a landing pad. The squad entered the airlock, the air cycleing to allow them to unseal and remove their helmets. "Allright guys. Rack time." Dutch tiredly exclaimed, staring to follow the green 'BARRACKS' line on the wall. "Yeah. G'Nite." Mickey followed Dutch. The entire squad headed to the barracks and fell asleep the moment they hit the bunk.

End note: I am most likely not going to update before the next year so already: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


	3. First Recon

****

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of this story apart from the plotline and any OC's.

*TRUMPETS* We have a winner! It's with James Cameron's Avatar! He wins a cookie and a cameo! This win is also the reason why I went on a writing spree. And so I managed to get this chapter together before the Year change!

CHAPTER THREE: First Recon.

__

ODST Alpha squad, attached to USFC

In Memoriam.  
_Unknown moon orbiting unknown gas giant.  
8th April 2557_

"So, we are taking two 'Hogs on a JUNGLE recon?" Dutch mockingly asked Buck. "Yes. Although the parts are coming in fast we still dont have Hornets, Scorpions or Dragons. We have a few Pelicans but those are reserved for personnel ferrying from the _Memoriam_" "Cant we take AMPs? That would make it a lot easier." "Do you have any experience piloting one? Plus that Naro doesnt fit in one." Dutch sighed. "Warthogs it is then." "Ok. Head past the armory for an air filter. We can stay out for days then. Dismissed." The squad nodded/saluted before heading out of the room and to the armory. "Rookie. I want to talk for a sec. Off the record." "Sir?" "Had any strange feelings yesterday? Like we were being watched?" "Yeah, now that you mention it Sir. While moving towards the rendevous point. Like I was being hunted." "I had the same. Naro as well. There may be some vicious predators and I dont want you walking round with a puny SMG. Get a AR. At least." "Yessir." "Good."

A quarter of an hour later...

"Mount up! We have beacon placing to do!" The squad climbed into their 'Hogs, one a standard LAAG model the other a transport loaded with what looked like large bubble shields. Buck took the big gun while Mickey called shotgun just before Romeo. "Darn. I call the transport shotgun!" Rookie climbed behind the gun 'Hog's wheel while dutch climbed behind the transports wheel. Naro sat down on the back facing seats of the transport and so the miniature convoy was ready to go. "Check suit seals and filters! I dont want any suffocatons today!" The squad called off their green status. "Right. Let's go! Hit it Rook." The 'Hogs sped away into the jungle, away from the firebase. "Thank god for non-smell filtering filters! This forest smells GOOD for a change." Mickey shouted from the first 'Hog. "Your right! Like after a thunder storm!" Dutch shouted back. "Lieutenant! My motion sensor indicates a rock slide not to far ahead!" "Thank you Naro! Slow down a bit guys." Both cars rolled into a clearing dominated by a large rock pile. "Darn. Thats where we need to go. Dismount! Get some HE on that slide Mickey!" "On it!" The squad got off their transportation. "This is Alpha squad to firebase! Our route is blocked, we are detonating the rocks blocking the passage." "Copy Lieutenant. Be advised, we have reports of large creatures there." "Roger. Out." Buck climbed back on the .50. "We might get some visitors so be aware!" The peace didnt last long. Within five minutes ten large creatures rushed out of the woods, heading to the group. "Tangos! Light 'em up!" A split second later the cracking of gunfire echoed across the jungle. One second later nine of the creatures were dead heaps of flesh on the ground with one last beas havong cought a bullet in one of its six legs.

"The thing looks like like a cross between snake and a wolf!" Romeo shouted while approaching it. It was about one metre eighty long and muscular. It had no fur but a smooth skin with chitinous plates covering its back and first four shoulders. Six legs in all, it was like someone has simply copied the first two and added them right behind the first two. Two large antenne protruded from the beck of its head, and its maw was a cross between a beak and a normal muzzle. Blue blood leaked from the bulled wound in its front left leg and it's eyes were strangly intelligent. Romeo finished it off with two bullets through the brain.

"Well what should we call it then? Snakewolf? Cobrawolf?" Dutch remarked while loading a new magazine into his MA5C "How about Viperwolf?" Buck looked at Mickey who was standing next to him. "All in favor?" Buck asked. All hands exept Romeo's and Naro's rose. Romeo becouse he thought Snakewolf sounded better and Naro becouse he couldnt care less. "Viperwolf it is! Mickey, blow the rocks."

Half a minute later... *BOOM*

"Do you think we used enough?" Mickey joked at the two heaps of stone in front of them. "Smartass," Dutch returned, "You never use enough for your self." "Ha ha Dutch. Let's go." and so the jolly group drove off, continuing on their mission

__

Unknown person.  
Unknown location.  
Unknown time.  
Translation protocol in effect.

"Is there any progress?" "No Elder. We cannot cut the material from which the Sky Stone is made." "To bad. Keep looking for entrances." "Elder! The Sky People easely killed the Viperwolfs we sent to test them!" "Hmm. They are stronger warriors than their bodies show."

__

UNSC 'Smart' AI construct CTN 0452-9 "Cortana".  
UNSC Frigate Forward Unto Dawn.  
April 8th 2557.

Something stirred Cortana from her Stand-By mode. Checking the calender first, she thought: _Five years._ She passed over to all other things including Cryo-Storage control. _He did say _'Wake me when you need me.' _I think I need him. Wait. I need him? Emotion? No... Not now. Not when we are about to be saved. I don't want to revive him only to tell him I'm about to go Rampant. Or am I? I experienced emotion before. On Alpha Halo. I felt Anger. On High Charity, I felt both Sadness and Extacy. So that would conclude I at least got into stage two then. But I am not angry OR jealous. Not at him. Not at anyone. I was, was I? Yes, that is why I told the Gravemind everything. To get a body. To be able to experience everything he could. But I dont want that anymore. That would conclude.... _A strange new feeling ran through Cortana's Neural Net._ More emotion. Did I block it out previously? That emotion must have been Joy. Perhaps... Perhaps I have reached the fourth stage. Meta-stability. He would like it. Would he? I dont know. Only one way to find out. _Cortana only had to think one more thing. _Thaw._ She 'looked' across the room at the large cylinder placed there. Cryogenic gas had begun to come from the seals around the hatch. _It's time to wake up Chief. Wake up John._

****

End note: So! There we go! The ODST's are on a mission and were ambushed by 'Viperwolfs,' one of the native predators. What is even worse? They are the least dangerous! MUAH HA HA HA! What is even worse again? The natives sent them after our heros! But there is also good news! Master Chief Petty Officer SPARTAN-II John-117 is awakening from his five year slumber!


	4. Waking

**Well, Chapter four is here! I have little to say apart from this: I DO NOT OWN HALO OR AVATAR! Halo belongs to Bungie and Avatar belongs to 20th Century Fox! (I think)**

CHAPTER FOUR: Waking.

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The Rookie.  
Unknown moon.  
April 8th 2557.

"And that's that. Last sensor beacon is placed." The Rookie stepped back from his handiwork. "LT? I'm done over here!" Buck response was filled with static "Roger! *schhh*rendevous*schh*A-SAP*schhhhh*lots*schh*wolves!" "Copy! I'm on my way!" Rook latched his MA5C assault rifle to his backpack and made his way down from the rocky outcropping he placed the beacon on. _Gotta move fast! The LT sounded like they were in trouble._

Thankful for the energy knife that was standard USFC equipment, he managed to make is way through the dense jungle in record time. He didnt have to wait long before Buck radioed in again. "*schhh*Romeo*sch*down!*schhh*faster*schh*Rook!" Almost panicking about that message, _Damn, not Romeo again!_, The Rookie moved as fast as he could, not aware of the forms stalking him un-till it was too late. With a roar the viperwolves hunting him pounced.

Thankful for his training, Rook managed to stab one through the chest with his knife before it landed but his fellows were to fast. Ramming him to the ground, one of the beasts started clawing at his helmet, while the others began tugging at his legs and the arm holding his energy knife. Shaking his arm enough, one of the creatures managed to make Rookie let go of the knife. While about to dig into the Rookie's hand, it didnt expect the other hand, this one curled into a fist, to slam against his forehead. Squealing from the pain the creature withdrew, allowing the rookie to grab his knife again, back stabbing the viperwolf clawing at his head. Rook made a sit up, stabbing one of the two beasts tugging at his legs through the eye, and quickly kicking the other underneath its snout.

_Phew. I love this new armor. The elites certanly know how to make strong alloys. Lets keep moving!_ And so the Rookie kept moving towards his squadmates, once again unaware of a shape observing him. _Most certanly a warrior, _the shape thought before moving to his place of origins to rapport.

_Unknown persons.  
Unknown location.  
Unknown time.  
Translation protocols in effect._

"Elder! I have sent the wolves after a lone tawtute as you commanded. It managed to fight them off without a single wound!" "Then they are greater warriors than I expected. Send a Thanathor after them. Let us see how they deal with that." "It will be done."

_UNSC 'Smart' AI construct CTN 0452-9 "Cortana"  
NSC Frigate "Forward Unto Dawn"  
__April 8th 2557_

The hatch opened. "Cortana? How long was it?" "Five years John." She felt pleasure at seeing the massive form of the battle-scarred MJOLNIR Mark VI armor rise from the cryo tube. "Five years? Is that against or with your calculations?" The gruff voice of a man came from the helmet. She knew who it was. Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra-117, the commander of the SPARTAN-IIs. But to her, Dr. Halsey and his fellow SPARTANs, he was known simply as John. "Against. We crashed on a planet I think. It's strange that the ship's sensors didnt wake either of us." The Chief simply grabbed his trusty assault rifle from the rack next to the cryo tube. "Indeed." He walked over to the pedestal on which Cortana's avatar 'stood'. Pulling her data chip from his hemet he held it at her. "No sense in staying, I think?" Cortana simply nodded and touched the crystal in the center of the chip, uploading her entire being to it.

The Chief slotted the chip into its home in his helmet, the feeling of liquid nitrogen running down his nerves as Cortana linked herself to his mind. _Home sweet Home. That's something new._ Cortana enjoyed being able to talk with only her thoughts. She however didn't expect John's witty remark. _With you as well, _she thought back. running though the MJOLNIR's systems she found something unnerving. _The atmosphere is toxic! _She 'shouted' at the Chief. _How long do I have? _Cortana checked the filters._ The air filters can handle it for a week perhaps. Not very comforting. _Without further ado she placed a NAV beacon on the Chief's HUD. _Let's go._

The first stop on their way out of the _Dawn_ was, of course, the armory. Searching through the ruined weapons and ammo, John found an intact M90C shotgun and a BR55HB SR battle rifle plus quite a bit of ammo. As he made his way back out, a very fimilliar shape stood next to the door. He couldnt believe his luck. There, hiding in plain sight was an intact Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle. The devastating shoulder mounted weapon more commonly known as the Spartan Laser. Placing the shotgun on his back he grabbed the laser to see the charge. A very comforting 100 appeared in the top right corner of his HUD. _If there is any Brute armor, they are now dead, _Cortana told John. _Thank you Captain Obvious. Here, have a rock._ He thought back. _Jokes John? Where is the gruff killing machine I knew? He died when I found you._

****

End note: There we go! The Rookie managed to fight off five viperwolves at the same time and the Chief is ready to open a can of whoop-ass! But is that a hint of a John/Cortana romance? The natives have a bigger test for the ODSTs however, The Thanathor, the biggest land predator on the moon! As always: R&R PLEASE! Your reviews are what keeps me going! Oh and Jim? Next chapter. I promise.


	5. UPDATE! PLEASE READ!

To all readers and subscribers: With the release of Halo 4, and my regained want to start writing, I will most likely start over, from Halo 4 onwards. This is not certain, because if I'm not happy with my writing, I won't be posting it.

Thank you for following my story, even after I abandoned it.

Yours in love of Sci-Fi,

Some101 


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